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Nyte Dragon New user Tampa, Fl 66 Posts |
I am looking to add doves to my show, as I have yet to work with any animals other than our chihuahuas and I have a few questions.
The first question would be simpley this: My fiancee and I are moving from our current place of residence in a couple months, and are trying desperatly to find a rental house, however we might have to settle with a 2-3 bedroom apt...I have heard mixed things about doves and how loud they can be. I know my friend keeps macaws in her apartment (dedicates a room to them, and they can be quite loud and have gotten complaints from neighbors...Will doves bring around a similar problem or will they be alright to keep in a multi-room apartment? Will they be too loud for us to sleep if kept in a seperate room, and will they be so loud as to bring around complaints? My next question is, should they be alright to keep in an apt., or if we are able to get a rental home, can anyone recommend decent sources for caring for and including doves in shows, so that I can do all my research before purchasing? Thank you in advance, Patrick |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Patrick, this question could take pages to answer completely. The first thing to do is check with the landlord or owner of the apartment to make sure you can have the doves in there.
Now as to sources. This has been asked many times on the Café. Tony Clark, Amos Levkovitch, Andy Amyx, General Grant, Shimada, and many others have videos which explain the entire care and feeding process as well as training and suggested routines. Personally, I'd go with Tony Clark's "Unmasked, Unmasked 2 and Behind the seams" followed by any of the others I've listed, but that is only my personal opinion. Doves do coo a lot especially if you have two of them and they are male and female. At night in the dark, they'll settle down but during the day, they can coo for hours. Sometimes it's loud, and other times it's not. I've also had birds that didn't coo at all. Doves produce a fine powdery substance called Dander. This will get all over everything in the room so be prepared to clean every day. The best option is to keep them outside or in a garage but it's not entirely necessary if you keep up the maintenance.
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boppies2 Elite user Arizona 422 Posts |
Hey Dave,
How much heat (not direct sun) can a dove handle? Max |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Max, the temperature in my garage during the summer months rises to close to 100. as long as they are not in direct sun for a long period of time, they'll be fine. I keep plenty of fresh cool water available and every once in awhile give them a little spray bath. They seem to like that. Kind of like going to the beach for humans.
Where the magic begins
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Nyte Dragon New user Tampa, Fl 66 Posts |
Thank you for the info, Dave. I'll deffinatly be getting my hands on the ones you listed. Also, if we get an apartment, it'll be one with a garage and screened in balcolny, so it's nice to know that we can keep them in a garage or outside.
If we keep them in the garage, should we keept a fan going somewhere in the garage to keep a good circulation going and to cool down the air a bit? Florida summers can get kind of harsh. Heh. Thanks for all your help, Patrick |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Patrick, the fan is up to you but it isn't necessary. They'll be fine. The major danger to doves is draft and that won't be a problem in this case.
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magic_man204 Veteran user north idaho 350 Posts |
Hey dave I am thinking about keeping doves in my garage but in the winter s it gets down to sometimes below 0. there is no heater in there will this be a problem. I'm pretty sure I would need to bring them in during the winter months.
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Nyte Dragon New user Tampa, Fl 66 Posts |
Dave,
I am very much appreciative of all your help. As my fiancee and I have been looking, it looks as though we've found a few places that we're set on, and all of them are alright with us having doves (one of the places has someone who has doves and macaws) So as I come closer to the big day, I was curious if you had any pointers on the best place to get doves from, as well as questions to ask the breeders, and tips on making sure that everything's on the up and up and the doves wont go sick a week after I get them. Any advice you can give would be a major help. Much appreciated, Patrick |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Patrick, I'm not familiar with dove breeders in your area. Bob Sanders is a little further south than I am and he might have some leads for you. If you can't find them locally, Dakota Rose (he's a member here as well) raises them. He lives in Ohio but ships the doves to you through the post office. That's the best and cheapest way to ship btw.
Some basic questions to ask a breeder would be the age of the birds and the sex if he knows. Magicman, there is no reason to bring your birds indoors during the winter. The garage will protect them from drafts and that's the important thing. Just make sure you keep fresh water for them. The water will freeze quickly at 0 degrees. The doves have a sense of survival and you'll see them puff up their feathers for insulation and warmth. If you feel better, you can use a small heater to keep the chill out but it really isn't necessary.
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magic_man204 Veteran user north idaho 350 Posts |
Hmm I was execting to have to bring them in. that's great news as I had no idea were I was going to keep them inside. thanks. so its just the drafts that get em?
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
You still have to keep an eye on them for heat and cold. The basic problem is drafts but if you see them breathing heavy with their mouths open or huddling in the corner of a cge, you'll need to bring them inside for a bit. In the hot weather, it's nice to spray them with cool water. They love it and it helps to keep them clean.
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magic_man204 Veteran user north idaho 350 Posts |
Do you spray it directly on them with a spray bottle on mist?
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Yes, don't worry about getting them too wet. Most of the water will roll off because of the dander but they'll enjoy it and it helps them to preen. It's a nice idea to spray them when you practice as well. Doves get tired easily and if you are rehearsing for several minutes, a little spray will make them feel good and cool them down a bit.
Where the magic begins
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Gordon Special user Chicago 692 Posts |
Rather than spray the birds directly (which is OK), I prefer to set up a mister and let the birds frolic on their own. That way, each bird will decide how much water it wants instead of me having to guess.
If you don't have a mister, a well-place sprinkler on a very low setting can be used, too. |
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